Written Answers Friday 19 June 2009

Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many seals it anticipates will be killed each year under the new licensing scheme proposed in the Marine (Scotland) Bill and how this compares with the number killed under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.

Richard Lochhead: Under the current Conservation of Seals Act 1970 there is no legal requirement to report the number of seals shot, except under licence, and there are, therefore, no official statistics on this.

  The proposals under the Marine (Scotland) Bill will make it an offence to kill any seal at any time, except under licence, and include a duty to report numbers of seals killed to provide essential statistics.

  The Scottish Government is currently developing the new seal licensing system in consultation with stakeholders, including its statutory scientific advisers and the Scottish Seals Forum. It anticipates that the system will involve the use of a permitted/potential biological removal (PBR), which provides a maximum figure for individuals that can be removed without affecting the wider population. This will ensure effective monitoring of potential impact on seal populations.

Animal Welfare

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is liaising with the UK Government with regard to improving seal protection under the Marine (Scotland) Bill and the Marine and Coastal Access Bill and following the repeal of the Conservation of Seals Act 1970.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is indeed liaising with the UK Government with regard to its proposals for improving seal protection.

Dairy Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what implications for individual rights and for market and competition distortion have arisen from the operation of a ring fence for milk quota management in Kintyre.

Richard Lochhead: The Southern Isles (including the Kintyre peninsula) milk quota ring fence arrangements place limitations on the ability of local producers to lease and dispose of milk quota held. The policy was introduced to protect milk production and processing capacity in the area.

Dairy Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rationale was and is for the operation of a milk quota system and a ring fence to manage the system for Kintyre.

Richard Lochhead: The Southern Isles (including the Kintyre peninsula) milk quota ring fence arrangements are in place to support the long-term interests and viability of the local dairy industry, including active producers and processors.

Dairy Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, prior to it making a decision on the existing milk quota system and ring fence management arrangements in Kintyre, what consultation took place and with whom.

Richard Lochhead: The system of milk quotas, which operates throughout the EU, first came into existence in 1984. The Scottish milk quota ring fence arrangements have been amended from time-to-time to take account of changing circumstances in the dairy sector. The degree of consultation undertaken on each occasion was determined by the prevailing circumstances.

Dairy Industry

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive in whose interest the milk quota system and ring fence management arrangements in Kintyre operate; how the public interest is determined in such arrangements, and what obligations the Scottish Executive has toward producers in determining public interest.

Richard Lochhead: The Southern Isles (including the Kintyre peninsula) milk quota ring fence arrangements exist to support the interests of the local dairy industry, including producers and processors. The overarching aim is to underpin, where possible, the continuation of dairying and cheese-making in the area. The policy is kept under review to ensure that it takes account of, and reflects the wishes of, the majority of active dairy producers, processors and their representative bodies.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Northern Ireland Executive about efforts to re-establish a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and what the outcomes were of any such discussions.

Stewart Stevenson: Since my meeting in Belfast on 16 March 2009 with Arlene Foster MLA, Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment to discuss the way forward for this service, Scottish Government officials have maintained regular contact with their counterparts within the NIE. We are awaiting a decision from NIE ministers on their possible support for a Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it responds to the concerns of local people and businesses in Campbeltown and Kintyre that the ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle has not yet been re-established.

Stewart Stevenson: As Scottish ministers have previously stated, a commencement date for any service will depend on a number of factors, including reaching agreement with the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) about the way forward, and the timing of any subsequent procurement process. However, since ministers are presently awaiting a decision from the NIE regarding their involvement in the proposed development of this ferry service, we are not yet in a position to make a definitive announcement on the future for this proposed service.

Ferry Services

Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any European funding available to re-establish a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle and, if so, whether it will pursue such funding with a view to re-establishing the ferry service as soon as possible.

Stewart Stevenson: Scottish Government officials have fully investigated the possible availability of European funding in respect of the proposed Campbeltown to Ballycastle ferry service. Following these investigations it has been established that there are no EU funding programmes whose eligibility criteria would allow them to support this ferry service.

General Practitioners

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many GP patient access survey forms were issued, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) community health partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: A total of 543,246 forms were sent out for the Scottish GP patient access survey. Tables of the breakdown by (a) NHS board (Bib. number 48445) and (b) community health partnership (Bib. number 48444) have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

General Practitioners

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the initial response rate was for the GP patient access survey, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) community health partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: The initial response rate to the Scottish GP patient access survey was 26%. Tables of the breakdown by (a) NHS board (Bib. number 48445) and (b) community health partnership (Bib. number 48444) have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

General Practitioners

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many reminders were sent out with regard to the GP patient access survey, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) community health partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: A total of 386,990 first reminders were sent out for the Scottish GP patient access survey, and a further 275,244 follow-up reminders. Tables of the breakdown by (a) NHS board (Bib. number 48445) and (b) community health partnership (Bib. number 48444) have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

General Practitioners

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many replies were received to the GP patient access survey, broken down by (a) NHS board and (b) community health partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: A total of 269,186 replies were received for the Scottish GP patient access survey. Tables of the breakdown by (a) NHS board (Bib. number 48445) and (b) community health partnership (Bib. number 48444) have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

General Practitioners

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many replies to the GP patient access survey contained yes/no answers.

Nicola Sturgeon: The GP patient access survey asked about patient experience of both 48 hour access and advance access. The answers were coded into "yes" and "no" responses using a coding scheme agreed amongst survey stakeholders. Details of this, the questionnaire and the survey results, can be found at the following Scottish Government website:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Health/GPAccessSurveyResults.

  Based on the agreed coding scheme, the number of replies included in calculation of results was different for the two types of access, as outlined below.

  48 Hour Access

  The total number of responses that could be used in calculation of 48 hour access results was 198,420. The main reason a reply was excluded was because the respondent had not attempted to gain 48 hour access. This applied to 54,593 replies. Other replies were excluded were because questions 1 or 2 were missed out or because more than one option in a relevant question was ticked. In addition, replies were excluded if the answer to question 3 (which asked why 48 hour access was not obtained) was "don’t know/ can’t remember" or "other reason", or if question 3 was not answered after a "no" answer to question 2. These reasons excluded a further 16,173 replies.

  Advance Access

  The total number of responses that could be used in calculation of advance access results was 122,393. The main reason a reply was excluded was because the respondent had not attempted to book in advance. This applied to 133,919 replies. A further 7,742 replies were excluded were because questions 4 or 5 were missed out or more than one answer in a question was ticked. In addition, the results for advance access exclude the 5,232 forms received from patients registered with practices designated as "open access".

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what it defines as social housing and whether this differs from its definition of affordable housing or socially rented housing.

Alex Neil: Social housing is a widely recognised shorthand for the housing provided for rent by registered social landlords and local authorities.

  Affordable housing is a wider term which covers these properties and other initiatives, such as mid-market rent, shared ownership and low-cost homes.

Influenza

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24404 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 June 2009, how many times the influenza A (H1N1) virus TV commercial Lift has been screened on Asian TV channels and what assessment it has made of the penetration of this commercial into Asian households.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24404 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 June 2009, what other action has been taken to ensure that messages about the influenza A (H1N1) virus are covered in black and ethnic minority media outlets.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Swine Flu TV commercial Lift has been screened on 11 Asian TV channels delivering 913 "30 second" spots from 1 May to 14 May 2009. These stations cover Bangladeshi, Indian, South Asian, Pakistani and Afro Caribbean ethnic groups. There are no cover or frequency figures available for the ethnic TV channels as they are not on the Broadcasters’ Audience Research Board (BARB).

Influenza

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24404 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 June 2009, what additional advice and assistance is being provided to groups and organisations serving black and ethnic minority communities to help ensure that messages about the influenza A (H1N1) virus are being effectively communicated.

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24404 by Nicola Sturgeon on 9 June 2009, whether it will list additional activities outlined in its communications strategy on the influenza A (H1N1) virus relating to black and ethnic minority communities.

Nicola Sturgeon: In addition to the national door drop, the National Swine Flu information leaflet was sent out to stakeholders who communicate specifically with black and ethnic minority communities. This includes people in education and training, advice centres, charities, cultural diversity and religious groups across Scotland.

Justice

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the individuals convicted of religiously aggravated offences under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 in 2007-08 have undertaken rehabilitation programmes related to their offences.

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the individuals convicted of religiously aggravated offences under section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 in 2006-07 have undertaken rehabilitation programmes related to their offences.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  There have been no individuals convicted specifically for Section 74 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003 who have served custodial sentences.

  There was one prisoner in 2006-07 and 23 prisoners in 2007-08 who have served sentences for other offences, for example breach of the peace, but whose offence was religiously aggravated. The majority of these were sentenced to very short sentences and only two with sentences in excess of one year.

  HM Young Offenders Institute Polmont have developed an awareness session aimed at raising the issue of sectarianism and racism which emphasises the behaviours expected both in prison and in the community which is delivered during the young offender’s induction on admission to the establishment. Other prisons deliver a similar package.

  There is no specific prisoner programme for religiously motivated crime because the numbers do not make the delivery of a programme viable as most programmes are dependent on the interaction of participants in a group work setting. (Whilst the 23 individuals for 2007-08 might suggest there were sufficient numbers it should be noted that these are spread across the Scottish prison estate and will have started/ended their sentence at different times during the year).

Livestock

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to continue with the subsidy to farmers available through the National Fallen Stock Company for disposal of fallen cattle aged over 48 months.

Richard Lochhead: The current transitional support for the collection and disposal of fallen cattle aged over 48 months was funded by DEFRA from the GB Animal Health and Welfare budget for 2009 only. The Scottish Government has no current plans to provide further funding for this purpose once the transitional support has expired.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for services at the intermediate care unit at Kirklandside Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: The provision of local healthcare services is a matter for NHS Ayrshire and Arran. NHS Ayrshire and Arran have stated that they are developing efficient new models of care in line with national policy which are flexible, community-based and meet the needs of local people. NHS Ayrshire and Arran are working with partners to introduce these new models of service in the autumn. Once community based services are established, these changes will involve ceasing to provide inpatient intermediate care at the unit at Kirklandside Hospital. We understand that this was a pilot scheme set up as a specific short to medium-term initiative to address historical problems with delayed discharge. In line with Scottish Government policy, the board are now seeking to develop services which are community based and closer to patient’s homes.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation has been carried out with the general public, patients and staff regarding the future of services at the intermediate care unit at Kirklandside Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Ayrshire and Arran have stated that they are working with partners to introduce new models of service in the autumn. This work is being progressed through the Community Healthcare Partnerships and both staff and the public will be involved in this process.

NHS Hospitals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the intermediate care unit at Kirklandside Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: No specific discussions have been held with NHS Ayrshire and Arran regarding the intermediate care unit at Kirklandside Hospital.

People with Disabilities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many additional disabled people have been supported into independent living since April 2008, broken down by local authority.

Alex Neil: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Statistics were previously collected on the number of disabled people receiving a housing support service funded through the Supporting People programme. However, local authorities indicated that housing support services were also funded from other sources, so this did not necessarily represent the total number of disabled people supported to maintain independent living.

  Following the end of ring fencing of the Supporting People budget in April 2008, the Scottish Government consulted with a wide range of stakeholders on whether to continue to gather information on numbers receiving housing support.

  The outcome of the consultation will be published on the Scottish Government’s website at www.scotland.gov.uk. Planned changes to the data collection to bring this better into line with the annual home care census will be discussed by the Housing Support Forum at its meeting on 23 June.

Planning

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will commission research into the involvement of the third sector in community planning.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-23598 on 14 May 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Planning

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Planning Advice Note 65 (PAN 65) promotes the land management company ownership model of land management.

Stewart Stevenson: Planning Advice Note 65: Planning and Open Space (published in May 2008) provides examples of mechanisms and funding for the long-term maintenance of new open spaces. One example is councils or developers making arrangements with a suitable third party for long-term maintenance. The Planning Advice Note does not, however, promote one approach over another.

Planning

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review Planning Advice Note 65 (PAN 65).

Stewart Stevenson: A revised version of Planning Advice Note 65: Planning and Open Space was published in May 2008. The Scottish Government has no current plans for a further revision of the advice.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24343 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 June 2009, how it will ensure contact with community agencies for prisoners with mental health needs on release from prison.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service has in place a range of health care audit and governance procedures. This includes a specific Healthcare Standard which defines prison mental health services, including provision for liberation and transfer of mental health care to the community.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24343 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 June 2009, whether it considers that contact with community agencies within eight weeks of release from prison is appropriate for ex-prisoners with mental health needs.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service has processes for the case management for prisoners with significant needs, including those for mental health care. It makes contact with community agencies on behalf of prisoners with mental health needs eight weeks prior to release from prison. The Scottish Prison Service cannot and does not monitor community agencies that offer follow-up care, nor does it determine when an ex-prisoner will be seen by a community agency.

Prison Service

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the provision of diagnostic and mental health services provided by the Scottish Prison Service meets the needs of all prisoners.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The Scottish Prison Service strives to meet all offenders’ health care needs within available resources. The service acknowledges that there are geographical variations in the type, range and capacity of support services available in establishments and within the community for prisoners with mental health needs. These variations have a consequence on through-care, discharge arrangements and onward referrals to community services.

Prison Service

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the comments by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland reported in The Press and Journal on 11 June 2009 that "inmates from the Aberdeen area are more likely to reoffend if the city is left without a jail" and that "family contact is essential to the rehabilitation process and that forcing visitors to embark on a 70-mile round trip to a new £140 million "superjail" planned for Peterhead after Craiginches Prison is closed would have a detrimental impact" and what action it will take.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  It is widely recognised that family contact is beneficial to the rehabilitation process and it is undoubtedly the case that some people will have to travel further to go to Peterhead than is currently the case in visiting HMP Aberdeen. However, this has to be viewed in the context that at present, mid-June, within Aberdeen Prison there are 193 prisoners with an Aberdeenshire postcode and within the total prison population in Scotland there are 491 prisoners who come from the AB postcode area.

  By providing a community facing facility in the north-east of Scotland, those prisoners who would otherwise serve sentences elsewhere in Scotland, currently almost 300, will serve their sentences nearer to the community they come from. This will better meet the wider needs of the north-east.

Prison Service

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prisoners are receiving medication or other treatment for physical health conditions, broken down by prison and showing the type of (a) treatment and (b) condition.

Kenny MacAskill: I have asked Mike Ewart, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

  The information is not available in the format requested. However, the Scottish Prison Service published Prison Health in Scotland: A Health Care Needs Assessment in December 2007, which contains information on the epidemiology of prisoner health and describes some aspects of treatment for physical health conditions. The following is a web link to the publication:

  http://www.sps.gov.uk/MultimediaGallery/363852d6-79d1-464c-9b65-857721c2a628.pdf.

Rail Network

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24358 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 June 2009, which peak services will operate as 2 x 3 coach units and how this compares with the current capacity of trains at peak times.

Stewart Stevenson: The timetable for Airdrie to Bathgate is currently under detailed development by First ScotRail and until such time as this is concluded we are unable to confirm individual trains which will comprise of six coaches.

  The detailed development will identify the most suitable trains for 2 x 3 coach units.

Rail Network

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24356 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 June 2009, what percentage growth in patronage was assumed when planning the procurement of rolling stock.

Stewart Stevenson: Patronage growth for the Airdrie to Bathgate route was assumed to be 3% year-on-year when planning the procurement of rolling stock. In addition, Transport Scotland has taken account of modelling work which allows for a further 750 passengers per day at the peak times between 7 am to 9 am.

Rail Network

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24356 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 June 2009, how the revised additional passenger boardings of 13,878 between 7 am and 7 pm compare with the (a) original passenger boarding assumption set out in the business case and (b) actual passenger boarding numbers for the existing lines.

Stewart Stevenson: (a) The original business case assumed 12,678 passenger boardings for the hours between 7 am to 7 pm.

  (b) Daily passenger numbers (boarding and alighting combined) for the existing lines (Helensburgh/Drumgelloch and Bathgate to Edinburgh Waverley) are as follows:

  

 Helensburgh/Drumgelloch 2008-09
 Total Daily Passenger Count


 Helensburgh Central
 2,442


 Cardross
 618


 Craigendoran
 722


 Dalreoch
 1,221


 Dumbarton Central
 2,558


 Dumbarton East
 1,509


 Dalmuir
 2,497


 Hyndland
 3,522


 Partick
 5,797


 Charing Cross 
 7,139


 Glasgow Queens Street
 18,077


 High Street
 2,255


 Bellgrove
 1,792


 Springburn
 662


 Carntyne
 823


 Shettleston
 2,143


 Garrowhill
 1,665


 Easterhouse
 1,270


 Blairhill
 1,690


 Coatbridge Sun
 1,621


 Coatdyke
 1,275


 Airdrie
 3,195


 Drumgelloch
 721



  Note: Where a station is used on more than one route it is not possible to split out the specific data for a particular route.

  

 Bathgate/Edinburgh Waverley 2008-09
 Total Daily Passenger Count


 Edinburgh Waverley
 2,757


 Haymarket
 1,520


 Edinburgh Park
 803


 Uphall
 860


 Livingston North
 1,729


 Bathgate
 1,801



  Note: Where a station is used on more than one route it is not possible to split out the specific data for a particular route.

Rail Network

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24353 by Stewart Stevenson on 10 June 2009, what type of rolling stock will be deployed for services west of Airdrie to Helensburgh Central station.

Stewart Stevenson: The current assumption is that class 334’s will be used between Airdrie and Helensburgh from the commencement of services in December 2010.

Rail Network

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what improvements are planned for a faster and more frequent rail service from Inverness to (a) the far north, (b) Aberdeen, (c) Perth and (d) Kyle of Lochalsh and what the expected completion dates are.

Stewart Stevenson: A number of recent timetable improvements reflect this Government’s continuing commitment to increasing the frequency of rail services and reducing journey times, including:

  From December 2008:

  A new service each way between Aberdeen and Inverness;

  A new service from Inverness to Wick and Thurso six days per week, and

  An additional all year round service on the Kyle of Lochalsh line.

  From May 2009:

  New morning connections from Glasgow and Edinburgh allow passengers to arrive at Kyle of Lochalsh by 4 pm.

  The following interventions, which will contribute to faster and more frequent rail services, are recommended in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

  

 Intervention
 
 Timescale


 Highland Main Line (Project 17)
Reduction in journey times between Inverness and Perth by 35 mins, resulting in a faster journey time of 2 hours 45 mins;Infrastructure improvements to facilitate the operation of longer freight trains.
 Estimated completion date: 2012-2013.


 Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements (Project 19)
Reduction in journey times between Inverness and Aberdeen by up to 20 mins;New station at Dalcross to serve Inverness Airport.
 Will be progressed by 2016.


 Rail System Enhancements (Project 12)
Replacement of signalling on Highland Main Line;A number of infrastructure improvements throughout the network.
 


 Electrification of the Rail Network (Project 6)
 Electrification of the entire Scottish rail network is a long-term objective which will contribute to the reduction in overall CO2 emissions in Scotland.
Phase 1 of the programme (Glasgow to Edinburgh line via Falkirk) estimated completion date: 2016.Remaining phases of the programme will be delivered according to our investment hierarchy and subject to availability of funds.

Regeneration

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to raise awareness of the second round of applications for the Town Centre Regeneration Fund.

Alex Neil: The second round of applications to the Fund has been widely publicised, and promoted in a number of ways.

  Our website includes full details. I have ensured that all MSPs, Community Planning Partnerships, Town Centre Managers, Local Authorities, Business Improvement Districts and Urban Regeneration Companies have received details of the Fund and a link to the information available on our website. I have also released details of the application process, including the existence of a second round of applications, to the press.

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/regeneration/town-centres/tcrf.

Roads

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans are in place for a bypass at Nairn as outlined in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what preparatory work has been carried out on a bypass at Nairn.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated timescale is for the commencement of work on a bypass at Nairn.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any preparatory work has been carried out on dualling the A96 between Nairn and Inverness.

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated timescale is for the commencement of work to dual the A96 between Nairn and Inverness.

Stewart Stevenson: A delivery partnership has been established between Highland Council and Transport Scotland. This partnership will oversee the design and phased delivery of the Nairn bypass and the A96 upgrade from Nairn to Inverness.

  The timetable for undertaking the work on the Nairn bypass and A96 upgrades will be set in the context of overall affordability and the delivery of the A96 masterplan.

  Transport Scotland is working constructively with the Highland Council on their Highland-wide local development plan. One of the main purposes of this co-operative approach is to work constructively towards the design and delivery of the Nairn bypass and A96 upgrades.

Scottish Futures Trust

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-23730 by John Swinney on 26 May 2009, whether the Scottish Futures Trust will be a direct funder of projects (a) in the long term and (b) during the current parliamentary session.

John Swinney: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24618 on 16 June 2009 and to the statement made by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning on 17 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Smoking

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of people using nicotine replacement therapy has successfully quit smoking after (a) six months and (b) a year.

Shona Robison: Information on quit attempts made via NHS smoking cessation services is available from the agreed national minimum dataset for cessation services. The national smoking cessation database (the primary data collection mechanism) was established in July 2005.

  National monitoring is based on clients who set a "quit date"/make a quit attempt with a cessation service. This will not include persons referred to services or who make initial contact with a service, but who do not go on to set a quit date.

  Quit outcomes are monitored at one month, three months and 12 months after the client’s "quit date".

  The table below shows, for all quit attempts made using NHS cessation services in 2007 where the pharmacotherapy used was recorded as nicotine replacement therapy, the percentage of quit attempts successful at one, three and 12 months. Figures are based on client self-reported smoking status at each follow-up stage.

  Data are based on the 2007 calendar year as three and 12 month quit outcomes are not yet available for the full 2008 calendar year.

  Information is not available centrally on the quit outcomes of people using nicotine replacement therapy, but not attending NHS cessation services.

  Quit attempts1 made with NHS smoking cessation services in Scotland in 2007 using nicotine replacement therapy – successful quits (%)2 at one, three, and 12 months after "quit date".

  

 Total quit attempts made where pharmacotherapy used was recorded as nicotine replacement therapy
 100.0%


 Successful quit at one month after ‘quit date’ (based on client self-reported smoking status)
 39.7%


 Successful quit at three months after ‘quit date’ (based on client self-reported smoking status)
 18.2%


 Successful quit at 12 months (based on client self-reported smoking status)
 8.0%



  Source: ISD Scotland National Smoking Cessation Database; Tayside Pharmacies Database, and Greater Glasgow and Clyde local information systems. Ref: IR2009-01363

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on total quit attempts, rather than total number of clients with a quit attempt, so could include repeat quit attempts by the same client.

  2. Quit attempts not recorded as ‘successful’ will include clients still smoking and clients "lost to follow-up"/smoking status unknown. Regarding eligibility for follow-up - all quit attempts are eligible for follow-up at one month after the "quit date", at the three month follow-up it is just those recorded as a successful quit at one month, and at 12 months it is all cases recorded as a successful quit at three months or "lost to follow-up"/unknown smoking status when followed up at three months.

Sport

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how long the Scottish Swimming Healthy Living Manager post has been occupied.

Shona Robison: The post has been filled on a job share basis since 23 March 2009.

Sport

Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what revenue budget the Scottish Swimming Healthy Living Manager has.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Swimming Healthy Living Manager has access to a small revenue budget of £20,000 through Kellogg’s Swim Active.

  The point is to build on existing activity. The Healthy Living Managers will work closely with the Scottish Swimming management team, local authorities and key partners to lead the implementation of:

  A discounted lesson scheme and other initiatives for driving participation;

  A sustainable framework for monitoring swimming participation and progress against specific targets;

  A marketing strategy to build awareness of swimming as both a healthy and accessible activity for all.

Vaccinations

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage uptake of the seasonal flu vaccination for health and social care staff was over winter 2008-09.

Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally. However, a study carried out by the Scottish Executive in 2002 suggested that the level of vaccination uptake amongst health workers was around 20%.

  In order to promote vaccination uptake within this group a separate information leaflet for health workers was produced for the 2008-09 campaign, advising of the importance of the vaccination for health care workers and for the vulnerable people in their care. Separately the national Flu and Pneumococcal Group is also working with occupational health clinicians to look at how best to improve uptake of the flu vaccine by health workers.